Mate! She's my COUSIN!
by LadyOfTheBacon
Summary: Since his First Year Albus had loved Aurora Zabini. Problem? His best mate, and her cousin, Scorpius Malfoy. To Al's sadness, Aurora makes it known that she doesn't like Albus in that way, and never will. Instead, in his 7th year he makes Scorpius eat his own words, "Mate! She's my COUSIN!"


**-Mate! She's my COUSIN!**

Albus Potter, Scorpius Malfoy, Aurora Zabini and Rose Weasley were four best friends. So it was rather cliché that Albus fell for Aurora Zabini after only hours of meeting her. He was able to keep his feelings under wraps too, until second year. That year Albus decided to ask for Scorpius' help with wooing Aurora. Not his brightest plan.

"Mate! She's my COUSIN!" Scorpius shouted at him during their second year.

Albus felt his cheeks ache with warmth. His face was starting to glow a rather feminine pink.

"Sorry that she's rather fit-"

"My cousin!" Scorpius repeated louder than he did the first time.

They were roaming the unusually empty halls of Hogwarts. Usually on a Saturday the halls were more packed, however the older students were at Hogsmead, and most of the First Years stayed within the comforts of their respective common rooms at the beginning of the year. Scorpius was a spitting image of his father, the sharp, angled features, the silver-grey eyes and the pale face. This did not do him any favours at Hogwarts. Albus, too, resembled his father, even more than his brother James. Albus inherited the messy black hair that stuck up at the back, the emerald eyes, and the lanky, scrawny physique.

"She's also my best friend," Albus reminded him.

"And you're making googly and ga-ga eyes at her," Scorpius pointed out in frustration.

"As if you won't be doing that to Rose," Ablus said to him coldly with a glare.

"As if," Scorpius snorted, "She's my best mate Al, and your COUSIN!"

"You probably think she's fit!" Albus whined childishly.

"No," Scorpius responded shortly.

"How?" Albus frowned. Although he was glad that Scorpius did not have the hots for his cousin, that didn't make him curious as to why not.

"Albus, she's your cousin," Scorpius repeated.

"And that makes her unattractive?" Albus questioned.

They turned a corner, and Scorpius sighed as he slowly shook his head.

"No, but I just don't see her as," Scorpius fought to find the right words, "fit, y'know? She's not exactly that," another awkward pause, "y'know?"

"So, she's unattractive in general?"

"Do you have to keep interrogating," Scorpius groaned throwing his head back.

"Mate, she's my cousin."

This earned him a stone glare and five minutes of silent treatment.

During Third Year, Albus had fallen even harder for Aurora. However, this year he sought out Rose for advice. The two were alone at Hogsmeade Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes branch. Although it was jam packed with other students, nobody seemed to bother or notice them as they conversed privately. Rose had her mother's face, and hair volume. She forever hated the bushy, frizzy mess. To make matters worse, the inherited the Wealsey men height, and was easily the tallest in her year level. Combine this with her Weasley-red hair, and she thought she was a nightmare.

However, apparently he couldn't ask Rose either.

"Al! She's Scorpius' COUSIN!" Rose scolded him.

Even though she practically screamed, nobody seemed to notice her.

"I know," Albus said sheepishly with red ears and pink cheeks. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as Rose continued to scan the shelves.

Eventually she paused, and picked up a bottle of Bruise Removal Paste and examined the label.

"What do you need that for?" Albus asked her as he peered over her shoulder to take a good look at the product.

"To be safe," Rose answered with an eye roll, "the three of you are always receiving injuries from your bloody quidditch practices.

"Which can be healed with spells, Rose," Albus reminded her.

"Last time that didn't go too well," Rose retorted.

Aurora had attempted on healing a bruise on Albus several months ago, which turned his bruised arm into a broken one.

"That was one time," Albus defended, who also clearly remembering the incident.

"Which can happen again," Rose told him, plucking several off of the shelves and cradling them in her arms.

"So even though Aurora is his cousin-"

"You KNOW how Scorpius gets with boys going after Aurora," Rose said with a tone of finality.

"But I'm his best mate-"

"That makes it worse!" By this time she was almost growling.

"How?" Albus whined.

Rose was surprised he wasn't stomping his feet like a six year old with the way he was carrying on. They weaved through the crowded shop as they made their way to the front counter.

"Because it's betrayal. You can't date you're best mate's cousin," Rose tried to explain as she dumped the contents of her arm on the counter.

"Rosie, why do you need these?" Her uncle George asked her as he eyed the five tubes of paste.

"Because my special snowflakes keep injuring themselves in quidditch," Rose sighed.

George Weasley just raised his eyebrow at her.

"What?" She questioned with a high-pitched tone as she folded her arms.

"There are spells for that-"

"That's what I said!" Albus shouted in frustrated at Rose as he gestured at his uncle.

"You never wear your hair down," George noted with a small, mischievous smirk.

"Different is good," Rose huffed, sticking her nose in the air.

"I thought you hated it down though," Albus sulkily said. Secretly, he felt a bit stupid not noticing this fact.

George reached his hand to touch her hair, and Rose jerked back. Parts of her hair flew back behind her shoulders, and Albus caught sight of slight discolouration on her neck.

"WHO DID THIS!" He shouted in rage as he pushed the rest of her hair behind her shoulder.

Rose groaned and slapped her hand over the small purple mark.

"Bit young, little Rosie," George told her with a small frown.

"I'm thirteen," she grumbled as she folded her arms across her chest.

"WHO DID THIS!" Albus repeated louder.

His entire face was redder than a tomato, for a second Rose thought that her father had took a polyjuice potion to look like Al.

"Corey Bones," Rose hissed as she covered her neck back up with her hair.

Truth be told, Rose had, much to her male cousins' frustration, snogged a few boys at her shy age of thirteen. However she knew her older cousin Dom had snogged twice this many in her second year. It was her female cousins that urged her to be more flirty with boys, and to snog the handsome gentlemen. Her male cousins, however, attempted to remove this teaching. Albus was no exception.

"You can't go around snogging boys!" Albus screeched, moving his arms wildly in distress and anger.

"Well I have, it hasn't been just Corey y'know? You do remember Lorcan, Jamie and Douglas right?"

"Stop talking about!" Albus whined as he covered his ears.

"So think of how Scorpius would feel if you snogged Aurora," Rose smirked at him as she dug out some coins from her purse.

"No charge as long as I don't hear any more about you snogging boys," George said to her gravely pushing the tubes away from him.

"NO! IT WILL MAKE HER SNOG THE BOYS MORE!" Albus wailed.

That time, he did stomp his feet with the mannerism of a six year old child.

In fourth year, Aurora noticed Albus' not-so-little-anymore crush on her. This made things a little awkward for her, and well, the rest of the group. One afternoon the group had taken to relaxing under a rather large tree, observing the calm Black Lake. Albus and Scorpius were beginning to grow, however they still didn't match Rose's height. Due to quidditch, they both earned a well-deserved toned torso and arms. However, the two were beginning to match their father's looks even more, which they both found a pain. Aurora was struck early by puberty's blessing, having the curvy hourglass that women dream of, and the bust that men drool after. Scorpius found this a pain. Rose was jealous, still fitting into only A-cups, and looking like a tall, twig, straight-as-a-ruler tree.

"Isn't this nice?" Albus asked.

What he did next, the other three feel like hitting him over the head with a brick once he did it. He yawned, and placed his arm around the shoulders of Aurora. She gave a quizzing look over to Scorpius and Rose. Rose just shook her head, while Scorpius was trying to shoot Albus a look that clearly said, 'I will kill you.'

The rest of that outing went by awkwardly and rather choppy.

When the sun began to set, Albus and Scorpius walked back to their common room, while Aurora and Rose chose to stay and observe the sunset. Scorpius originally scoffed at the girly idea.

"So, how long as Albus liked me?" Aurora chuckled.

"Knowing him, since the second you two met," Rose snorted.

Aurora shook her head and chuckled some more.

"I don't want to break his heart," she confessed, "yet the Slytherin in me is going to enjoy the look on his face when I tell him why I won't go out with him."

"I told him that he should just give up due to Scorp," Rose said to her.

Aurora fiddled with the grass. The only sound there was for a few minutes, was the small plucking of grass blades.

"Why?" Aurora finally asked her.

"Because you're his cousin, and Al is his best mate," Rose stated as if it were the most logical thing in the universe.

Aurora fell onto her back laughing.

In fifth year, Albus flirtations and "smooth moves" did not stop, instead that accelerated and were almost always a feature every two minutes. This rather annoyed Scorpius, for one and only reason.

"Mate! She's my COUSIN!" Scorpius, once again, shouted at Albus in frustration.

"She's fit though," Albus whined, again, "She also plays quidditch, is smart, nice-"

Scorpius once again shuddered. This conversation had taken place a million times.

"Besides, I saw you checking out Rose today," Albus lowered his voice in both tone and volume when it came to this issue.

Scorpius' eyes quickly darted around the empty hall. It was no secret that Rose Weasley was finally starting to get puberty's blessings at age 15. Although Rose wasn't blessed with big boobs or large hips, she still had a lovely slender frame, her tall height also graced her lovely long legs that curved nicely from her hips. Due to this, Rose has had many more admirers since her toying around in Third Year.

"Well, she's hot."

"Mate! She's my COUSIN!" Albus stomped and yelled.

"You see how I feel," Scorpius snorted, "Except I don't have a crush on your cousin. I only find her pleasing to look at."

Albus' pale face turned green the moment the words left Scorpius' mouth.

"Don't say that about her again," he moaned into his hands.

"Like I said, at least I'm not bloody in love with her," Scorpius spat.

"That would be treason," Albus pointed out.

"You're the one who is fucking in love with MY COUSIN!" Scorpius shouted. Again.

Sixth year was finally the year that Aurora had to tell him. It was the only way to shut Albus up, and Scorpius too for that matter.

"You're going to be fine," Rose assured her.

It was only the two girls in the train compartment. After coming back from holidays, Aurora had easily made it to the top 5 most attractive girls of Hogwarts, and seeing Albus' jaw dropped affirmed that her good looks made things worse.

"Rose you are the only person I've ever told it to though," Aurora said to her.

Her voice was shaky, hands trembling, and for a moment Rose thought that she saw tears in her friend's eyes before Aurora hid her face in her hands.

"And I still love you for it," Rose reminded her placing a hand on Aurora's shoulders.

"Everyone's different Rose," Aurora quietly mumbled into her hands.

"They're your best friends, and Scorpius is also your cousin," Rose said while rubbing her friend's back, "they will love you anyway."

"I hope," Aurora sniffled.

"This is the year," Albus announced to Scorpius as they trudged through the halls of the trains.

"Of what?" Scorpius snorted with laughter.

"That Aurora says yes."

"Mate! She's my COUSIN!" Scorpius found himself shouting again.

"That really gets old Scorpius," Albus told him.

"So does you daydreaming out loud about MY COUSIN!"

"Speaking of cousins, how do I get boys away from Rosie?" Albus asked Scorpius as a first year saw the two and ran in the opposing direction.

"I don't know," Scorpius grumbled, "there are just so fucking many that drool over her."

"I know," Albus screwed up his nose.

"Maybe we should give up and accept the fact that Rose is hot-"

"Mate! She's my COUSIN!" Albus yelled as he reefed open the door violently.

"Excuse me?" Rose asked as she looked between two slightly enraged boys.

"Nothing," they muttered at the ground before sitting opposite each other.

Naturally, Albus made sure to sit practically on top of Aurora, not even leaving a sliver of space between their bodies. Aurora shot a nervous look at Rose, who just gave a warm smile and an encouraging nod. Albus yawned and stretched his arm up, however this time it did not fall upon Aurora's shoulders, for Aurora had already reacted.

"ALBUS, I'M GAY!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she launched from the seat and onto her feet.

"Oh thank Merlin!" Scorpius sighed with relief, letting his head roll back onto the train seat.

Rose slapped his leg and gave him a very disapproving glare.

"Huh?" Albus squeaked with a red face.

"I only like girls," Aurora peeped. She was standing and staring at the floor.

"Oh."

It finally dawned on Albus, she was never going to love him back. Unless he was a girl.

Was there a spell for that?

Rose was glowing inside, feeling proud that her best friend finally came out to the rest of the group. She sat up tall, hands on her lap, giving Aurora the biggest smile possible.

Aurora was feeling scared out of her mind. She gave Rose a small smile before crashing down next to her.

Albus was feeling rejected, defeated and crushed. He was slumped over his knees, and his arms rested on his thighs, holding up his upper body.

Scorpius was laid back in his seat. His entire body was stretched out, reminding Rose of a sleeping dog.

"Oh thank merlin," Scorpius mumbled again.

Naturally, Rose slapped him on the leg again.

"Ow!" His entire body coiled back up.

"Be a bit more sensitive," she whispered loudly darting her eyes at Albus and Aurora.

"Gosh dammit, was it really worth being slapped for?" He hissed back.

"Yes," she smirked.

Scorpius just laughed. Rose's expression softened and her lips twisted slightly, into a small smile. Aurora rose her eyebrows at the interaction, which caused Rose's face to burn a rather unflattering shade of red to rival her hair.

Albus was too busy staring at the floor to notice anything.

During the rest of sixth year, Aurora kept a close eye on Rose and Scorpius. She noticed more than one time the two would smile at each other when the other was looking, or that their arguments always ended in chuckles. She'd always turn to see Albus looking at something else, and she prayed that he never caught sight of their newly flirtatious attitude. Until one day, he did.

It was during a study period, and the group were once again observing the lake. It seemed as if Albus had finally gotten over Aurora, as he was busy checking out a few fifth years that were nearby.

"The red-head is rather fit," Aurora practically growled flirtatiously, also observing the group.

Albus eye's widened in horror the moment his eyes landed on said red-head.

"Mate! That's my SISTER!" He shouted, throwing the mother of all glares at Aurora.

Scorpius and Rose laughed the pink-faced Aurora, and the tomato-faced Albus.

"Well she is-"

"I don't wanna hear about it!" Albus moaned as he turned around.

His view was Rose's head resting on Scorpius, their bodies made a 'T' formation, and both were laughing. One of Scorpius' arms were across Rose's stomach, and Albus thought he'd turn purple.

"Ahem," Al coughed, mainly at Scorpius.

Rose scrambled up off of him, and looked at Albus with a sheepish expression. However, Albus' emerald green eyes were sorely focused on Scorpius, who's silver eyes were fixed on his.

"Am I the only one in the group who's gay?" Aurora joked, as the staring contest had lasted about 15 seconds at that time.

From that day, Albus kept a closer eye on Scorpius. This however, didn't stop their flirting.

Seventh year practically pounced on them.

"It's seventh year already," Rose gasped at the Welcoming Feast.

Everyone was grabbing as if it were the last meal, at the food and other goodies spread out across the house tables.

"To think that seven years ago, it was us that were sorted," Aurora sighed looking at the first year Ravenclaws.

Rose sighed in agreement twirling at the pasta.

Aurora looked up, her eyes sparkled at their focus, and she sent a cheeky wink.

"Who was that too," Scorpius teased before taking a mouthful of chicken.

"Oh nobody," Aurora sang before she took a sip of water.

"Better not be any of my cousins," Albus grumbled with a mouthful of chicken.

"Albus that's gross," Rose noted with a screwed up face.

"You're worse at the Burrow!" Albus retorted, pointing his chicken drumstick accusingly at her.

Rose gave a 'hmph' before shovelling a great amount of pasta into her mouth.

"A girl should be able to eat a large amount," Scorpius defended.

"I agree with Scorpius," Aurora started, "however he only said that because he's in love with Rose."

Aurora gave perfect timing to that statement. Scorpius choked on his water and thumped his chest as he coughed. Albus gave a spit-take, spraying his food with water that was previously in his mouth, and Rose was choking on her large mouthful of pasta. To make things better, all three slammed both their hands down on the table in unison, earning a few sceptical looks from their fellow Ravenclaws.

"I'm not," Scorpius defended with only slightly pink chinks.

"I- That's silly," Rose squeaked with a face redder than her hair.

"I forbid it!" Albus declared with a face only a few shades lighter than Rose's.

This seemed to snap a small amount of rage in his cousin.

"Excuse me?" Rose seethed as she locked her brown eyes onto his green ones.

"You can't! Rose you're my cousin, and he's my best mate," Albus explained.

Rose narrowed her eyes at him until her features morphed into a ferocious glower that might've even scared a Death Eater.

"I'm only looking out for you," Albus finished lamely.

It was lucky that the seating arrangement was that Albus sat next to Aurora, and Rose and Scorpius sat opposite to them, because the next action almost gave Albus a heart attack. Seconds after his poor excuses, Rose turned swiftly and cupped Scorpius face, and gave him a huge smooch full on his lips. There was a small pop as Rose finally released her grip and lips from him. It was surprising that not many people noticed, however those who sat directly next to the group had their mouths open so wide it could've trapped flies. Albus and Aurora in particular, had their jaws almost brushing against the floor. The only difference between their expressions was that Albus had his face reach a new record shade of dark red.

"Well I'm off," Rose announced too cheerily.

She jumped from the table and practically skipped out of the Great Hall. The group assumed she was racing back to her dorm.

Scorpius just sat there with perfectly straight posture, and his eyes would give one dramatic blink every ten seconds. His face stone set focused on whatever was straight ahead of him.

"Mate! She's my COUSIN!"

That caught almost the entire hall's attention.

For the next week, Rose went to great lengths to avoid Scorpius. Scorpius went to great lengths to speak to Rose. Aurora and Albus just watched on the sidelines, Albus fuming while Aurora was laughing her ass off 80% of the time.

"I don't see what's so funny," Albus grumbled as Rose yet again dashed off after seeing Scorpius.

Aurora gave a chuckle as Scorpius set off like a bullet, weaving through the crowds like a very persistent bumble bee.

"I think he might catch her this time," Aurora said with a glint in her eyes.

"2 gallons he won't," Albus challenged.

"You're on," Aurora accepted.

The two gave each other a final look before dashing through the halls, in search for their best friends.

After about thirty seconds of sprinting, they rounded a corner to a sight that made Aurora clamp her hand over Albus' mouth. The hall was almost empty, except for two figures.

Rose and Scorpius.

Scorpius had Rose pinned to a wall, with a very determined look in his eyes as he spoke quietly to Rose. His arms were either side of her body, however his body was in very close proximity to hers. He had seemed to finally surpass her height, as his head was slightly tilted down to hers, their foreheads almost touched.

"You better not say anything yet," Aurora whispered furiously in Albus ear as they peered around the corner.

"…It confused me," Scorpius finished, slightly louder than his former volume.

"I just-I-," Rose stuttered and stammered. Her face heated up, turning into yet another horrible shade of red that this time reached her neck.

"I know something I'm not confused about," Scorpius started more confidently, "but I need to know you feel it too."

"Too?" Rose asked.

Albus noted that her voice was higher pitched, as if she was hopeful that they shared the same feelings.

'_Merlin please be friendship…' he thought, 'however highly unlikely that is, Merlin please.'_

"Yeah," Scorpius exhaled nervously, ending with a small chuckle.

"I think I feel what you feel," Rose whispered as she tilted her head up slightly.

Aurora brought her second hand to Albus' mouth, and she felt the strong heat of his face.

"What would that be," Scorpius chuckled resting his head on hers.

"I think you know," Rose giggled as her arms snaked around his neck.

And finally, Scorpius dipped his mouth onto hers, and felt the smoothness of her lips on his once again. Rose straightened her back, and gripped the ends of his hair. Scorpius wrapped his arms around her waist and gripped her tightly against his torso, next he opened his mouth and slid his tongue across her lips slowly. As Rose moaned and opened her mouth to accept it, they were interrupted.

"Mate! She's my COUSIN!" Albus burst free from Aurora's grip and stormed towards the couple.

Rose squeaked as she jumped back from Scorpius. This gave Albus his perfect chance, to sock Scorpius right where Rose kissed him.

"Albus!" Rose shouted as she slapped him.

"What! You're my COUSIN!" Albus yelled.

"And he is my best friend-"

"That looked like more than friendship," Aurora snorted with amusement from the side lines.

"Yeah!" Albus agreed, although he was furious.

"That's because we were taking it to a relationship level!" Rose shouted as she gestured between the two of them.

"Shit Al, good punch mate," Scorpius chuckled as he wiped blood off of his swollen lip.

"Look what you did!" Rose screeched as she examined the lip.

"Stay away from his lips!" Albus demanded as he stood between them.

Aurora was giggling from behind her mouth, ready to burst into laughter at any moment.

"I can do with his lips whatever I please!" Rose raised her voice to a louder volume.

"Not after what I just saw!" Albus squawked as he made his hands do a kissing motion.

"And what are you going to do about it," she challenged with a dark laugh.

She folded her arms across her stomach, and raised her eyebrow in a cocky fashion that reminded Albus of Scorpius.

"I'm going to tell Uncle Ron."

Luckily for Rose, Albus didn't do that. However, her little brother Hugo did. This led to Rose receiving a Howler from her father at breakfast a week later, which lead to the rest of her cousins finding out. She thanked Merlin and her lucky stars that all of her male cousins had left Hogwarts, as her female cousins were very accepting to the idea. Albus however, refused to talk to Scorpius. He'd talk to Aurora. He'd talk to Rose. He wouldn't however, say a word to Scorpius. He wouldn't even stay in the same room that wasn't a classroom.

It had been almost two weeks since Rose and Scorpius got together. Albus was brooding under the large oak tree that looked out to the Black Lake.

"Mate! She's my COUSIN!" Scorpius had yelled at him after he put his arm around Aurora in forth year.

"Thought you would be here," he heard the devil speak.

"You're just in time," Albus sarcastically stated as he chucked a stick at the lake.

"For what?" Scorpius snorted as he sat down next to Albus.

Albus scooted away from him, and gave him a wicked glare.

"Albus please," Scorpius pleaded, "I can't help what I feel-"

"Neither could I," Albus spat as he stood up.

He was about to storm off, but Scorpius wouldn't have it.

"What do you mean?"

Ablus just laughed. It wasn't a happy ha-ha laugh though, it was very dark, almost menacing.

"When I was crushing on Aurora, what would you ALWAYS bloody say to me?" He questioned Scorpius.

He smirked once he saw his words truly dawn in Scorpius' eyes.

"Mate, She's my COUSIN," Scorpius mumbled at the ground he still sat on.

"And what are you doing with my cousin?"

"Snogging her."

"Mate! She's my COUSIN!" Albus yelled.

"We're also dating," Scorpius chuckled.

"She's my cousin!" Albus seethed.

"She's also my former best friend, now girlfriend," Scorpius stated confidently as he stood up.

"Admit it, you'd be the same with Aurora and I," Albus told him with a voice full of venom.

"No I wouldn't," Scorpius said, making what he hoped was meaningful eye-contact, "because I'm being a hypocrite right now. A downright prat by doing this."

"Glad to see you see it my way," Albus snorted.

"Sure I'd be angry and mad, yet there would be no reason too," Scorpius admitted quietly.

Albus smiled.

"Mates?" Albus offered.

"Mates."

It took Albus several months to get used to seeing his best friend hold hands with his cousin, who was also another best friend of his. They were in the library, and supposed to be studying, however Rose and Scorpius were still flirting.

"If Aurora were here you two would focus," Albus groaned at them.

"Well she isn't," Rose cheekily replied and stuck out her tongue.

Scorpius stole a quick peck, which earned a pebble to his face. Yes, Albus now carried bags of pebbles to throw at Scorpius when he kissed Rose.

"Where is Aurora?" Albus wondered.

Scorpius and Rose seemed to pry their attention off of each other to look at Albus.

"We, actually don't know," Rose dragged out, thinking about the situation.

"I say we investigate," Albus concluded as he stood with purpose.

The three briskly ditched their belongings and wondered the halls.

Not in the Great Hall.

Not in the Ravenclaw common room.

Not in the Room of Requirement.

Not in the Library.

Not on the Quidditch Pitch.

They rocked up at the Fat Lady portrait.

"Password?" She asked in a dull tone as her eyes scanned their Ravenclaw robes.

"Mandrake root," Rose answered confidently.

"Proceed," she responded in the same tone as she swung open.

Albus was sure he needed to bleach his eyes. For Aurora and his baby sister Lily ("By one year, Al!") were tangled up on one of the couches in a heated snogging session.

"Mate!" She's my SISTER!"


End file.
